Claimed by the Vengeful Alpha Chapter 57: For Your Crimes

"Lady Maya," Alaina mocked as the doors shut. Her expression held disgust as she spoke, shaking her head side to side.

Maya closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. It was too early to leave just yet. She would have to bear whatever Alaina had in store for her for a little longer before she could escape.

She twisted her fingers in her lap as she sat stiffly, refusing to look at Alaina. It was best to pretend she didn’t hear her.

Alaina scoffed. "So lady. This is not the High Alpha’s residence. You’ll never be anything more than you are now—dressed in maid’s clothes, cleaning rooms and making als. No more than that. It is already far more than you will ever deserve. You ought to rot in the mines for your cris."

Maya flinched, digging her nails into the back of her palm, scratching hard. The pain was easier to dwell on than the guilt. She fought against it but it was a battle she couldn’t win. Regardless of the circumstances, she had still done everything with her own hands.

Neither Theo nor Winnie ca to her rescue. Winnie had not recovered from when Alaina snapped at her and had been quiet ever since. She didn’t even lift her head as Alaina spoke.

"Alpha Keenan is too nice, even after all the cruel things you have done. He has you sitting at the table with us—a grace you certainly are not worth."

She sat still, if she didn’t move, perhaps she would be unnoticed. She stared at the edge of the white tablecloth. There was a slight discoloration, and Maya found that if she focused all her attention on it, it was easier to ignore Alaina’s words and pretend she was talking to soone far away.

Suddenly, Alaina burst into laughter. "What do you think you’re trying to do with Alpha Claude? Regardless of what he calls you, it won’t change what you are now."

She didn’t know how much longer she could hold out, and Alaina didn’t seem to be done. Her lack of response or reaction seed to only fuel her outburst.

"Did you think we would believe you if you kept acting as you are? Doing unnecessary things! You never should have co here! We all hate you!"

Alaina’s eyes were wide as she yelled at Maya, her finger stretched out pointing. Maya flinched with every word. She could barely make sense of the conversation, but it didn’t stop it from stinging.

"You have no reason to be here, and you know that," Alaina laughed. "Yet you keep clinging. What do you think is going to happen?"

Tired of being ignored, Alaina stood to her feet, ready to march toward her. Maya wasn’t distracted by the tablecloth enough to not notice it. As much as she would like to pretend this wasn’t happening, she couldn’t completely ntally remove herself.

She stood up imdiately. It might be too early to leave, but Maya didn’t think she could take another mont longer. Alaina was angry; if she decided to attack her, Maya didn’t expect anyone here to help her.

Alaina had not outright hit her yet, but Maya knew it was only a matter of ti, and no one would co to her rescue. Not even Keenan. As kind as Alaina might say he was to her, Maya couldn’t see him protect her from the harm that was Alaina.

A far cry from what she used to know. Maya tried not to think about it. Things were different now and she was trying to make ands and hope that things would get closer to what they once were.

She rushed away from the table before Alaina could get to her and fled toward the door. Maya held onto her dress as she exited. She could hear Alaina behind her, her footsteps were loud as they hit the ground.

Maya felt terror clasp her heart. She was being chased. A flash of her in the abandoned building while Alaina pumled her and pulled at her hair made her almost lose her footing. It had been years—why could she still clearly rember that?

"Alaina," Theo’s voice called after her as he scrambled out of his chair in pursuit.

Maya didn’t understand how things had escalated to this point, but Alaina seed determined. She didn’t know what she planned, but she didn’t want to find out.

She ran in the direction of the stairs leading to her floor. She glanced back to see Alaina exiting the dining room. Theo was right behind her, stretching out his hand to reach Alaina as she chased after Maya.

The side of her face slamd hard against an immovable object. Maya bounced off, nearly tripping as she staggered backward.

"Alpha," Alaina called with an excited gasp.

Maya shakily turned her neck to see in front of her as she grabbed her neck. She felt a slight pain. However, Maya wasn’t sure if she could actually feel pain or if she was just that terrified.

"I-I’m sorry, Alpha," she mumbled as she stood rely two feet away from him with her head bowed.

"Where are you running off to?" He asked darkly and took a step forward.

Maya instinctively took a step back. Keenan was angrier than usual. The torches on the wall shone enough light on his face. She shivered at his hardened gaze, filled with accusation.

"I have no idea, Alpha Keenan," Alaina said and stepped closer. "She just started running off. I guess she was trying to catch up with Alpha Claude. It’s not hard to see what she’s trying to do."

Keenan’s brow grew tight at Alaina’s words. Maya knew she had to defend herself, but she knew how that had gone so far. Keenan didn’t believe a word she said.

"Did you not hear my question? Where are you running off to?" His tone was harsher, his body language threatening. His hands ford fists at his sides, and his arms threatened to burst out of his shirt.

Maya stood rooted to the spot. Her throat was closing up on her. Keenan was in front of her with a dark look in his eyes, and Alaina was behind her, blocking her path. Not that she could run away if she wanted to. Maya could never outrun them.

"M-my room," she mumbled and gripped the side of her dress. Tears burned in the corners of her eyes, but she held them in. "I’d like to get so sleep."

Keenan got close enough to touch her, and she shut her eyes. Her legs felt like jelly, and Maya wondered if she would have to spend the night in the dark cellar or receive so kind of punishnt.

Will he believe ? Will he let go to my room?

He stood close enough that she could almost feel him without touching. Her nose picked up his familiar scent and she felt it wrap around her. Keenan looked like he would hurt her, yet his scent was soothing.

She could stay this close, just basking in it.

Father’s scent was nothing like this. Every mont he spent in her personal space had felt worse than any punishnt he had ever given her. She knew this was not the ti to think about it, but it was hard not to make comparisons.

"Alpha, you’re just going to let her go?" Alaina asked loudly.

Maya opened her eyes to see Keenan walk past her. He didn’t glance back as he walked away, and she was left staring at his back.

"Theo," Keenan called as he walked away. "Don’t forget what you have to do."

"Yes—"

"Alpha!" Alaina yelled; she wasn’t ready to back down. "This is exactly why she does whatever she wants. Who knows what she and her father are plotting now? Surely, you can see all that she has been doing today."

Keenan squinted his eyes and he looked in her direction. He blocked out her words. "Don’t you have sothing to do tomorrow morning?"

"I-I," Alaina stuttered and took a step backward.

She knew he was angry at her suggestion, but every single ti, he would be lenient to Maya even when her actions were glaring. He never acknowledged that the words she spoke were the truth.

"I do," she mumbled and shot a glare in Maya’s direction.

"Then do what you’re supposed to and stay out of everything else."

Alaina’s stomach twisted. Earlier today, he had said she lacked etiquette, and now he was scolding her in front of not just anyone but Maya.

There was nothing wrong with what she had said. Asher deserved to be at the dinner table more than she ever would. She shouldn’t be allowed to be here any longer.

"Yes, Alpha," she whispered.

Maya forced her legs to move toward the stairs. If Keenan’s attention was drawn away from her, there was no reason for her to stick around and change that.

She just wanted to go to her room and lie on the feeble pile of clothes and be left alone. Not worrying about the cris she had committed or how she had made no headway.

Keenan still hated her just as much as when she first arrived—perhaps even more. A constant reminder she must be. He wouldn’t even touch her, and when he did, it was to inflict pain.

She welcod the dark of the second floor, readily. She almost let out a sad laugh. She had always hated the dark, but not anymore. At least in the dark, no one could see the tears rolling down her face.

"Is sothing wrong, Lady Maya?"